❓ The Minister for Culture and the Arts announces a $7.8 million investment in cultural institutions and the decision to bring management of flagship performing arts venues back in-house.
AnsweredQoN 320Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CULTURAL AND ARTS INSTITUTIONS — FUNDING
320. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for Culture
and the Arts:
Earlier this week the minister made an important
announcement. Can he please advise the house on the government's
significant investment in the state's key cultural assets?
320. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for Culture
and the Arts:
Earlier this week the minister made an important
announcement. Can he please advise the house on the government's
significant investment in the state's key cultural assets?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. I am very pleased that
the government, in the preparation of the budget, which will be presented by
the Treasurer today, has allocated $7.8 million over the next four years for
the purpose of upgrading equipment and facilities at some of our key cultural
and arts institutions. They include His Majesty's Theatre, the State
Library of Western Australia, the Western Australian Museum, the State Records
Office of Western Australia and the Art Gallery of Western Australia. These
facilities are the backbone of our cultural landscape. Upgrading the facilities
at these institutions will ensure that there is access to modern equipment and
technology, including new lighting, information and communications technology
infrastructure and other improvements. Performers are increasingly using
digital and other forms of technology. Having more modern equipment available
for their performances will mean that WA audiences can enjoy a wider variety of
arts experiences. It will also provide greater encouragement for more touring
shows and performances to visit Western Australia.
This allocation is in addition to
the $5 million a year that was previously available for the funding of building
maintenance projects and core technology upgrades across the arts portfolio,
representing the government's understanding of the importance of
investment in both hard and soft cultural infrastructure. These investments
will bring our cultural institutions in line with accepted modern practices and
improve the experiences of those who work in the buildings and also those who
are visiting and attending performances or exhibitions.
Also in the context of arts infrastructure, and performing
arts facilities in particular, I take the opportunity to briefly confirm to the
house the decision that the government has made for the management of our
flagship performing arts venues to be brought back in-house, so to speak, by
the Perth Theatre Trust from January next year. Since the outsourcing of the
management in 1999, the landscape has changed quite substantially, with the
number and quality of our venues increasing and also the number of resident art
companies. Following a thorough assessment of the arrangements that have been
in place over the past 15 years with the management undertaken by AEG Ogden
(Perth) Pty Ltd, a decision was made based on advice and a thorough assessment
that it would be more cost-effective and also enable greater use and activation
of the venues for the Perth Theatre Trust to directly manage the venues. I take
the opportunity of acknowledging the contribution of AEG Ogden's staff
and their organisation over the past 15 years. They have certainly performed
according to their contract and they have done that well. I thank them for the
contribution that they have made over that period. A considered decision was
made by the government to put the new arrangements in place. Those arrangements
will include the outsourcing of food and beverage arrangements. That will not
be undertaken by the Perth Theatre Trust. Tenders will be going out for that
aspect of the performing arts venues' operations soon and I expect
there will be a lot of interest in that tendering process.
the government, in the preparation of the budget, which will be presented by
the Treasurer today, has allocated $7.8 million over the next four years for
the purpose of upgrading equipment and facilities at some of our key cultural
and arts institutions. They include His Majesty's Theatre, the State
Library of Western Australia, the Western Australian Museum, the State Records
Office of Western Australia and the Art Gallery of Western Australia. These
facilities are the backbone of our cultural landscape. Upgrading the facilities
at these institutions will ensure that there is access to modern equipment and
technology, including new lighting, information and communications technology
infrastructure and other improvements. Performers are increasingly using
digital and other forms of technology. Having more modern equipment available
for their performances will mean that WA audiences can enjoy a wider variety of
arts experiences. It will also provide greater encouragement for more touring
shows and performances to visit Western Australia.
This allocation is in addition to
the $5 million a year that was previously available for the funding of building
maintenance projects and core technology upgrades across the arts portfolio,
representing the government's understanding of the importance of
investment in both hard and soft cultural infrastructure. These investments
will bring our cultural institutions in line with accepted modern practices and
improve the experiences of those who work in the buildings and also those who
are visiting and attending performances or exhibitions.
Also in the context of arts infrastructure, and performing
arts facilities in particular, I take the opportunity to briefly confirm to the
house the decision that the government has made for the management of our
flagship performing arts venues to be brought back in-house, so to speak, by
the Perth Theatre Trust from January next year. Since the outsourcing of the
management in 1999, the landscape has changed quite substantially, with the
number and quality of our venues increasing and also the number of resident art
companies. Following a thorough assessment of the arrangements that have been
in place over the past 15 years with the management undertaken by AEG Ogden
(Perth) Pty Ltd, a decision was made based on advice and a thorough assessment
that it would be more cost-effective and also enable greater use and activation
of the venues for the Perth Theatre Trust to directly manage the venues. I take
the opportunity of acknowledging the contribution of AEG Ogden's staff
and their organisation over the past 15 years. They have certainly performed
according to their contract and they have done that well. I thank them for the
contribution that they have made over that period. A considered decision was
made by the government to put the new arrangements in place. Those arrangements
will include the outsourcing of food and beverage arrangements. That will not
be undertaken by the Perth Theatre Trust. Tenders will be going out for that
aspect of the performing arts venues' operations soon and I expect
there will be a lot of interest in that tendering process.
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